Love in all the Right (or Wrong) Places
by lolliipxps
Summary: Malcolm needs love, so he goes to the one person he knows will give it to him.


Adjusting to life without the man who had been most prominent in Malcolm's life was harder than anything he'd experienced in his young life. Nothing was the same, _nobody _was the same. In fact, his relationship with his mother was strained as a result. Not his part though. No, she could hardly look at him and he didn't know why. Did he remind her too much of his serial killer father? Any start of conversation was virtually killed by lack of responses. Made for a quiet meal time. It wasn't like _he _did anything but ask for her love…. Love she primarily poured all on Ainsley. Her perfect Ainsley…Angelic Ainsley. Nothing like dear old daddy Ainsley.

No one would see the tears well up, poor out of his eyes. Well, Ainsley did but she was too young to understand why. Times like these drove him to go to his father… The only family who gave him an ounce of affection, regardless of whether he was a monster or not. Good thing the officer, Whom he was told to call Gil, was a call away. Gil, who treated him like he was his own son, even paid special visits to hang out if only for short periods of time. One call and Gil would accompany him to see his father.

"Hey, kid, are you okay? Do you want me to go in there with you?" Gil was kneeling in front of him, a concerned expression on his face. In response Malcolm forced a small, faint smile, followed by the shake of a head. Hands gripped the book (for homework) in his arms. "Alright, but you let me know if you're ready before the times up, okay?"

"Thank you, Gil." The statement was quiet but just loud enough for Gil to hear. "I'm ready."

It didn't even take a second for blue to lock onto blue, an excited smile on his father's face. "Malcolm, they didn't tell me you were coming." A hand sending silent gesture to come forward. The younger Whitly mustered as much courage as he could to do just that, until only bars separated them. He could feel the slight weight of his father's hand on his shoulder. "Oh, you brought homework with you, do you want help?"

Malcolm nodded before briefly glancing back at one of the guards. Who immediately seemed hesitant but opened the door to the cell for Malcolm upon Gil's subtle nod. They knew Martin would never hurt his son.

Despite visiting a number of times, Malcolm was still hesitant to be in such close proximity. Because for all intensive purposes, his father was a monster, but he couldn't help but love him at the same time. Was it wrong for him to love a monster? Something told him it was, but _this _monster undeniably loved him back. Which, again, was something he'd been lacking in his life lately.

His father obviously noticed the pained frown that slipped onto his features. "Malcolm, something is wrong. What is it?" A few tears escaped without the boys knowledge, prompting arms to wrap around him. Malcolm's body stiffened at the contact, until it ever so slowly relaxed, yet not completely. "Oh, Malcolm…Let me take care you, my boy."

A few tears progressed into even more, small hands coping the elder's actions. His face nearly buried in his chest. "I don't think mom loves me anymore." It was said in a hushed manner but Doctor Whitly could hear it clear as day.

"Now why would you say that?" The voice was just as soothing as the hand brushing up and down his spine. "Hasn't mommy been taking care of you?"

Malcolm nodded, but there was no enthusiasm behind it. "She does, but she's always taking care of Ainsley." He shook his head as a few more tears threatened to come out. "Mom tells me I'm 'too much like that monster.'"

The smaller frame pressed into the bigger as Martin tightened his hold slightly. Before blue met blue and hands rested on his shoulders. The youngest closed his eyes for a second as he wiped away tears.

"Malcolm, I need you to look at me, okay?" And so he did, noticing the determination and seriousness in the older man's loving eyes, "I'm not a monster, do you know why?" Malcolm shook his head, causing him to continue. "Because everything I've done, I've done to support you, because I love you, son. See, your mother will never understand that connection that we have, will _always have. _She was jealous of it from day one. But you should know that I will always love you, even if the world turns against you."

From the tone he spoke, right down to the look in his eyes, Malcolm knew there wasn't a single hint of a lie. Yes, his father had been deemed a monster, a man who killed so many...But could monsters be capable of love? He wasn't so sure…

"Now, how about we start cracking these books open, huh? For old times sake."


End file.
